Fluid conduit



Get, 25, 1938. AN 2,134,110

FLUID CONDUIT Filed Feb. 23, 1937 IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. as, 1938 2,134,110

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID CONDUIT Merll L. Eckman, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to American Coach and Body Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 23, 1937, Serial No. 126,996

4 Claims. (Cl. 219-4) This invention relates to an improved conduit Referring now to the drawing, I have illusand method of making the same. 'More partrated in Fig. 1 my improved conduit in conticularly this invention relates to an improved nection with an electricwelding tool. The tool conduit for facilitating the circulation of a coolillustrated comprises a frame 10, carrying an ing medium in an electric welding tool or the electrode II. The electrode is hollow and the 5 like, and the method of making such conduits. opening 12 therein is in communication with a These, therefore, are the general objects of the passageway 14 formed in the frame. In the present invention. construction illustrated, but one passageway 14 Electric welding tools and mechanism generis provided, but by the use of my improved conally comprise ferrous castings in the form of duit or liner this passageway serves both to con- 10 frames which support the welding electrodes. duct the cooling fluid to the electrode in one The electrodes used are generally hollow and stream and to conduct such cooling fluid from are in communication with cored passageways the electrode in a second stream. in the castings. One of these passageways ad- My improved conduit or liner comprises a com- 15 mits cooling fluid to the electrode, while the other paratively thin-walled metallic tube 20, prefer- 15 permits the fluid to leave the tool. The walls ably made of copper, brass or other non-corroof these passageways are subjected to corrosion sive material. Extending longitudinallythrough which tends to obstruct the circulation of the the tube is a partition or wall 2|, comprising an cooling fluid, sometimes entirely stopping. such elongated metallic strip. This strip may likecirculation. Likewise, minute flaws, crevices and wise be formed of a non-ferrous material to 20 i pin holes, which'at first are too minute to be eliminate corrosion. In manufacturing the asobserved or even to permit the seepage of the sembly, one end of the elongated strip is inserted cooling medium therethrough, sometimes open in one end of the tube and the strip is slid lengthor become enlarged from the strains set up in wise therethrough. The strip 2| is of such the metal structure as a result of constant heatheighth as to frictionally engage opposite regions 25 ing and cooling of the tool. of the tube and fit snugly therein. This parti- It is a more specific object of the present intion or strip 2| divides the tube into two longivention to provide a conduit which may be readtudinally extending passageways. The diameter ily inserted in suitable preformed passageways of the tube is such that the assembled tube may in the frame of a welding tool apparatus, and be readily slid into the passageway into the tool 30 which will overcome the disadvantages of the and yet when in position will frictionally engage passageway above set out. In this connection the walls of the passageway, fitting snugly theremy invention embodies a conduit which may be in to thereby permit the cooling of the frame economically manufactured. itself when the fluid passes through the conduit.

5 Another object of the present invention is to In the preferred form the tube and the partiprovide a tubular conduit having two independ tion are assembled in straight form and are subent passageways therethrough, and to provide sequently bent as a unit to any desired curvature.

a simple and economical method of manufactur- The two passageways 25 and 26 are continued ing such a conduit. to a point adjacent the tip of the electrode ll 40 Other objects of the present invention will beby a tongue-like partition 40 which is inserted 40 c m m r pp n f m h f l win descripin the opening 12 in the electrode in alignment tion, reference being had to the accompanying with the tubev partition 2|, thus forming a condrawing in which I illustrate a preferred form of tinuation of such partition. my invention. Many times it is advisable to provide the frame In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation parmembers with a passageway which departs from 45 tially in section of a welding tool, illustrating a straight line, as indicated in Fig. 1. This is my improved conduit in use therewith, portions sometimes done to attain the greatest possible of the tool and conduit having been broken away structural advantages in the casting, or to bring to more clearly illustrate the construction therethe outlet of the passageway to a region of the of; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail, taken along the frame least effected by the heat of the electrode. 50 offset line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse To permit the use of my improved conduit in Se t s indicated by t line on Fi such instances, I prefer to make both the tube Fig. 4 is a view of my improved conduit, par- 20 of a bendable material and the partition of tially broken away, to more clearly illustrate the a material which will permit it to be bent in the 56 internal construction thereof. plane of the partition as indicated in the drawing. I find that a comparatively soft brass or copper provides such a material. However soft steel or iron may be used when extreme bending of the conduit is not required. When the passageway i4 is formed, as shown in Fig, 1, my improved conduit which is preferably made in a straight length, bends to conform with the curvature of the passageways as it is inserted therein.

After the conduit has been positioned in the passageway in the tool, the frame may be drilled to provide two passageways 30 and 3| which intersect respective passageways of my improved conduit, permitting supply conduits 33 and N to be connected therewith, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer end of the passageway ll may then be sealed with a suitable plug 35, which also serves to close the end of the conduit 20.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided an improved conduit having two longitudinal passageways therein, which conduit is especially adapted for use in welding mechanisms and which requires but one opening in the casting. Further my improved conduit insures unobstructed passage of the cooling fluid which otherwise might be caused by corrosion or other similar action, and at the same time provides a maximum cooling of the casting through which the conduit passes.

While I have described my improved conduit in connection with a welding mechanism, it is obvious that the conduit may be put to many other uses in which a single tube is desired for providing two longitudinally extending passageways.

I claim:---

1. In a welding mechanism,-the combination of a frame, a welding electrode carried thereby, said frame having a single curved passageway extending therethrough and in communication with said electrode, a tube within said frame and frictionally engaging the walls of said passageway throughout its length, a relatively thin strip of material within the tube, the width of said strip being substantially equal to the internal diameter of the tube and the strip being bent in its own plane to form a plurality of substantially longitudinally extending unobstructed passageways each of which passageways are in communication with said electrode.

2. In a welding mechanism having a frame supporting a hollow welding electrode, the frame having a single passageway extending therethrough and in communication with said hollow electrode, in combination with a tube received by said single passageway and frictionally engaging the walls thereof, a partition within said tube, the width of which is substantially equal to the internal diameter of the tube, whereby the partition remains in self-supporting position within the tube solely by frictional engagement between the longitudinal edges thereof and the wall of the tube, and a tongue-like partition carried by the hollow electrode and arranged in coplanar relationship to the first-named partition to form a continuous passageway which leads from the exterior of the frame to the hollow electrode and thence outwardly therefrom to the exterior of said frame.

3. In a welding mechanism having a frame supporting a hollow welding electrode, the frame having a passageway extending therethrough and in communication with said hollow electrode, in combination with a tube received by said passageway and frlctionally engaging the wall thereof, a partition within said tube supported solely by frictional engagement, and a tongue-like portion carried by the hollow electrode in alignment with the first-named partition and having its inserted end spaced apart from the opening in said electrode to form a continuous passageway leading from the exterior of the frame to the hollow electrode and thence outwardly therefrom to the exterior of said frame.

4. A welding mechanism of the type described, wherein a frame supports a hollow electrode, in combination with a tube frictionally received by a single passageway in said frame, a partition in said tube to divide the latter into a plurality of fluid passageways, and a second partition in the hollow electrode, said last-mentioned partition being in alignment with the first-mentioned partition, thus forming a continuation of such partition and a continuous fluid passageway through the frame and to and from said electrode.

MERIL L. ECKMAN. 

